Detailed Points of Faith with Biblical Verses.
Fundamental Points of Faith of the Church in English.
We believe the Holy Bible, which includes the divisions commonly know as the Old and New Testament, to be the divine inspired Word of God. No other scripture has been inspired in this manner. We believe the Bible is infallible in its teaching and completely contains God's Will and revelations towards man. (2nd Timothy 3:16, 17; 2nd Peter 1:19-21; Isaiah 45:23; Hebrews 4:12; St. Matthew 24:35; Revelations 22:18,19).
We believe in the Supreme Deity of God's Universe. He is the Almighty Creator that with His power created and sustains the heavens, the earth and everything in it. (Acts 17:24-28; Genesis 1:1; Revelations 1:7; Psalms 124:8; Nehemiah 9:6; Isaiah 40:28; Psalms 55:22).
We believe that Jesus of Nazareth is the only Son of God having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He is the Christ or Messiah sent by God to be our Savior and Redeemer. (St. John 3:16, 4:9, 1:18, 6:65, 4:25; St. Matthew 1:18-25, 14:23, 16:16; Isaiah 7.14; St. Luke 1:26-36, 2:6-32, 4:14-21; Acts 4:62; Titus 2:14).
We believe that the Holy Spirit (also known as the Holy Paraclete) is our Jesus Christ's Promised Counselor, indwelling in the hearts of the ones who diligently seek Him. The Holy Spirit guides us to the truth and justice of the Word assisting us to be His witnesses and his presence is revealed in words just like the "Fruits of the Spirit '' when God's commandments are kept. (St. John 14:15-19, 16:13; St. Luke 11:9-13; Acts 1:8; Romans 5:5; Galatians 5:22-26, 1ST Corinthians 12:7-11).
We believe that Satan is the "Old serpent", which is called Devil and Satan and that he is the enemy of God and his people. (Revelations 20:2, 1st Peter 5:8; 2nd Corinthians 11:14; St. Matthew 13:39; Ephesians 6:10-12; Luke 10:18; St. John 8:44; Revelations 12:9, 20:10).
We believe that the man was created perfect, but because of his disobedience became alienated from God's grace, inheriting a sinful and imperfection nature which man still carries with him till this day. (Genesis 1.26-31, 3:8-20, 1st Corinthians 15:21; Romans 5:12).
We believe that God our Father created a divine plan of Salvation in order for man to escape and perish from man's fall. His Son Jesus Christ was His plan for the forgiveness of all sins of mankind and only through Him we find assurance of our salvation and eternal life. (St. John 3:16, 10:1-7; Acts 4:12; Romans 5:11; 1st Peter 1:18-19, 2:24; 1st John 2:2-4; Hebrews 9:13, 14, 28).
We believe that the blood of Jesus Christ was shed on the cross for our deliverance from sin and He accomplished our redemption through his death on the cross. (St. Matthew 2:28; Acts 20:28; Romans 5:6-13, 3:25; St. Luke 24:47; Acts 10:43; Philippians 2:8-12; Colossians 1:19-23; Titus 2:13-14; 1st Corinthians 15:1-5).
We believe that to assure the benefits of the Divine Salvation Plan each person must believe and accept Jesus Christ as his/her personal Savior, to obey the doctrine of the gospel and follow Jesus' example to do as He has done for us. (Acts 4:12; St. Luke 24:47; Romans 10:6-10; 1st John 5:10-14; Romans 6:16-18; 1st Peter 2:21; St. John 13:15).
We believe that the gospel includes the FAITH in God and in His son Jesus Christ, confession and repentance from sin, including all the possible restoration; baptismal of water by immersion, which represents the old man (sinner) and the resurrection to a new life in obedience to God. (Hebrews 11:6, Romans 10:9-10, 17, 6:1; 1st John 5:10-14, 1:19; Galatians 3:26, 27; St. Luke 13:3, 24:47, 19:8; Acts 2:38, 3:19; Ephesians 4:21-25; Colossians 2:12).
We believe that the Ten Commandments is the Eternal Constitution of God and must be kept by his people in this era. (Exodus 20:1-17; James 2:9-10; 1st Corinthians 7:19; St. Matthew 5:18, 19:16-23; 1st John 2:24, 3:4; St. John 12:50; 2nd Kings 17:37).
We believe that the Fourth Commandment established the observance of the seventh day of the week, commonly called Saturday and shall be kept as sacred and holy from the sunset on Friday to the sunset on Saturday, it has been given to God's people as a remembrance of his creation. (Genesis 2:2-3; Exodus 20:8-11; Isaiah 58:13; Hebrews 4:4-11; St. Luke 4:16, 23:56; St. Matthew 28:1; Acts 13:14-44, 16:13; St. Mark 2:27-28; Leviticus 23:32; St. Mark 1:32)
We believe that the Lord's Passover is an ordinance given to the church as a testimony of Christ's death and shall be annually observed at the beginning of 14th day of Nisan. During this celebration unleavened bread and non-fermented grape juice will be taken as Jesus did the night he established it, which represents his flesh and blood. (Leviticus 23:5-27; St. Matthew 26:26-29; St. Luke 22:7-29; 1st Corinthians 11:1-2, 18-31, 5:7; St. John 19:14-15, 31).
We believe that the ordinance washing of the feet was taught by Jesus to each and one of us as an example of humility. This teaching will be applied in conjunction with the observance of the Lord's Passover. (St. John 13; St. Luke 14:11; James 4:10; 1st Peter 2:21; 1st Timothy 5:9-10).
We believe that salvation is through the Faith in Christ and the church was established with the purpose to spread the Gospel, according to the Bible's divine plan, and to support the true standards of the Bible and the unity of the believers. (Acts. 6:1-8, 1:23-26; 1st Corinthians 12:27-30; Ephesians 2:29, 20, 4:10-17; 1st Timothy 5:17, 3:1-5; Hebrews 13:17; Titus 1:5-7).
We believe that the organization of the God's People shall be known with the biblical name "LA IGLESIA DE DIOS".(Acts 20:28; Ephesians 3:14-15; St. John 17:11-12; Daniel 9:19; Jeremiah 15:16; 1st Corinthians 15:9, 1:2, 11:22; 1st Timothy 3:5, 15; Deuteronomy 28:10).
We believe that God's financial plan to spread the Gospel is to have the church members to support the evangelical work with TITHES AND OFFERINGS; this is a tenth of ones income, which forms part of the Christian's obligations. We also believe that a tithe of everything we own belongs to God and must be redeem to Him, at the same time, offerings must also be freely given according to our resources. (St. Matthew 23:23; 1st Corinthians 9:12, 14; Leviticus 27:30; Malachi 3:8-10).
We believe that in this evangelical era God's people and Christ followers must use as nourishment every kind of food that God has taught since the beginning of creation and abstain from any prohibited food according to God's Word. (Genesis 7:1-2; Leviticus11:4-20; 1st Timothy 4:5; Isaiah 66:15-17; St. Matthew 15:17-20).
We believe that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, which we must keep clean before God, refraining from bad habits that are not pleasant to our Creator. Each member of the Iglesia de Dios shall deprive himself/herself from the use of drugs, narcotics, tobacco, alcoholic beverages, etc. (1st Corinthians 3:16-17; 2nd Corinthians 6:16-18, 7:1; 1 John 2:15-17; James 1:14-15; Galatians 5:19-21; Proverbs 23:21-23, 29-32; Ephesians 5:18; 1st Timothy 3:3).
We believe that Christians have the obligation to love their enemies and do all possible for their salvation not living by the standards of this world since our struggle is SPIRITUAL. (Exodus 20:13; St. Matthew 5:44; Romans 12:17-21; 2nd Corinthians 10:4; Ephesians 6:12).
We believe that God's people must be in communion with Him through prayer, being Jesus our mediador and high priest who sits down at the right hand of the throne of God in Heaven. We believe that prayer is effective when done in the name of Jesus for all that is needed. He is our provider and will answer according to His will. (1st Timothy 2:8; Philippians 4:6; St. John 14:13-14; Hebrews 7:25, 12.2, 4:14-16; Romans 8.34 1st Timothy 2:5, 1st St. John 5:14; St. Luke 18:1; St. Matthew 7:7-12, 6:5-9; James 1:6).
We believe that the Bible recommends praying for the ill not only individually but as a group also; it also tells us to call the elders of the church to pray and anoint the ill with oil in the name of the Lord and He will listen to our prayers if we ask with faith. (James 5:13-16, 1.6; 1st John 5.14-15; Psalms 103:1-3).
We believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was oart of God's Salvation Plan before the creation. He is what St. John 1:1-2 calls the Word; born of the Virgin Mary the fulfillment of verse 14: "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. .." (St. John 1:1-2, 8.57-58; Genesis 11:7; St. John 17:15; Colossians 1:16-18).
We believe that the Bible teaches that Jesus was crucified on a day commonly called Wednesday and He remain in the tomb for three days and three nights and He was raised in the final part of the Sabbath or the seventh day of the week to fulfill the prophecy according to St. Matthew 12:39-40, 28:1-8; Daniel 9:27; 1st Corinthians 15:3-4; St. Mark 16:1-6, 15:42; St. John 20:1-20, 19:14; St. Luke 24:1-8, 23:54-56
We believe that the kingdom of heaven will be established on earth when Christ comes and the ransomed of the Lord will reign with Him for a millenium. This is the time called "RENEWAL" (St. Matthew 19:28); also the "RESTORATION TIME" (Acts 3:21). That during this time the Gospel will be preached to all who did not hear it before and after Christ. Those who accepted the Gospel and persevere with hope will be like angels (St. Luke 20:34-36). That there will be also mortals and that at the end of the millenium when He has all his enemies below His feet, He will deliver His kingdom to the Father. (1st Corinthians 15:24-28; Zechariah 14:4-9; Revelations 11:15, 20:4-6, 21:1-5, 19:16; St. Matthew 25:34, 5:5; Psalms 37:11; Revelations 5:1; Daniel 7:27; Isaiah 2:2-4; Micah 4:1-5).
We believe that during the last part of the millennium the "RESTAURATION" will be completed and the earth will be made new, the save will perpetually prevail until the earth is made new, the New Jerusalem will come down out of heaven and not before. (Revelations 21:1-8; Proverbs 10:30; Isaiah 45:8-9).
We believe that the Kingdom is divided into three phases: (1) The Spiritual Kingdom of Grace, (2) The Kingdom of the millenium of Christ, and (3) The Eternal Kingdom of God. We live now in the Kingdom of Grace. Jesus will reign with His redeemers in his throne of Glory for a thousand years. The third phase will come after the Kingdom of the Millenium, the Eternal Kingdom of God in which God will become everything in everyone. (Hebrews 4:16; St. Matthew 25:31; Revelations 20:6; 1st Corinthians 15:24-28; Romans 12:2; Colossians 1:12-14; 1st Peter 2:5-9; Acts 26:18; see verses previously mentioned in Doctrinal points 25 and 26).
We believe in the literal gathering of the Israelites in the land of Palestine, as the prophecies tell us is in the process of being fulfilled and that is one of the signs of the coming of Christ. .(Jeremiah 31:9; Isaiah 61:4; St. Luke 21:24; Ezekiel 21:25-27, 37:21-28).
We believe that the Kingdom of Christ will be established on earth when He personally and visibly comes. That He will be coming with the clouds the same way He was taken to heaven to God's right hand. (Acts 1:10, 11; St. John 14:1-3; Revelations 1:7; Acts 3:20; Job 19:25-27).
We believe that prophecy was manifested in the past not by the will of man, but God spoke through men as they were inspired by the Holy Spirit and they are given to us to study and know the signs of time, revealing in what time we are living in relation with the coming of Christ. (2nd Peter 1:18-21; Romans 15:4; St. Matthew 24; Psalms 119:105).
We believe that considering the fulfillment of the signs given for the different phases of the world; signs for the political world, religious, physical, social and industrial world, etc., we believe that we are living in the final time and that the second coming of Christ is near. (St. Luke 21:25, 17.26-31; Revelations 11:18; St, Matthew 24:6, 7, 36, 40; 2nd Timothy 4:3-4, 3:1-7, 13).
We believe that when a person dies, a person becomes unconscious and remains in the grave until his/her resurrection, then the righteous will inherit eternal life and the wicked will obtain eternal death. (Psalms 146:4; Ecclesiastes 9:5-6; 1st Corinthians 15:42-56; Job 17:13; Revelations 20:11-15; Job 14:13-14).
We believe that the wicked will resurrect at the end of the millenium of the Kingdom of Christ to appear and receive the final judgment and shall be cast into the sea of fire, which is the second death where they will be destroyed completely. (Revelations 20:5, 11-15; Malachi 4:1; Psalms 62:9, 37:20).
We believe that the Scriptures condemns the sinful world including the cravings of a sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does. Visiting places of bad habits, wearing expensive jewelry that will cause envyus, greed and disputes. We should mold our life and edifying our lifestyle to live a spiritual life. (1st John 2:15,16; St. John 17:16; Romans 12:2; Galatians 5:17-26; 1st Peter 3:3-4; 1st Timothy 2:9; Romans 8:12-14; Colossians 3:1-10).
We believe that the days commonly known as Christmas, Lent, Holy Friday, Easter and Sunday as the day of the Sabbath are from a pagan source and not Biblical; reason why they should not be observed by the members of the "IGLESIA DE DIOS". (Jeremiah 10:2; St. Matthew 15:13; Deuteronomy 16:2; Galatians 1:6-8; Ezekiel 8:13-18).
We believe that God's wrath against sin and sinners will be fulfilled before and during the second coming of Christ with the seven plagues described in Revelations 16. These plagues represent events that will cause affliction and terror to men in the world. The actual message of IGLESIA DE DIOS is in part to exhort about punishment as a consequence of sin. (Colossians 1:9-10; 2nd Timothy 2:15, 3:15-16; 2nd Peter 1:19-21, 3:18; St. John 5:39; James 1:15; 1st Peter 2:2; Isaiah 34:16).
We believe that there is a diabolic power known as the Beast; it will exist before and until the time of the second coming of Christ. That a message known as the Message of the Third Angel will be preached by the CHURCH OF GOD as a warning against this demonic power. This is part of the Gospel and all who accept it will escape from the wrath of God. (Revelations 13:1-10, 14:9-11, 17:7-14, 15:1).
We believe that marriage is God's sacred institution therefore it belongs to the CHURCH OF GOD. In consideration of this, God's people will request the services of a Minister to perform marriage ceremonies. We believe that a matrimony that has contracted before their conversion of either the husband or wife is accepted by the church if in fact it has been performed by an authority in the Civil Marriage Courts (registry). We believe if afterwards the conversion exists and they live in harmony with the Church, divorce is not tolerated, but only if the reasons that are manifested by our Lord Jesus Christ in St. Matthew 5:32 exist. In the case that a divorce is pretended with the existence of the biblical reasons, this case will be properly investigated by a designated committee appointed by the Ministry, this committee will be composed of Ministers with the proper qualifications, who will investigate both parties and if the committee determines that is truth, the divorce will take place according to the teaches of the Holy Scriptures; the Church does not condemned any marriage of either party (Deuteronomy 24:1-2), but this should never be interpreted as if the ministers recommend a divorce. (Genesis 2:20-24 ; St. Matthew 19:1-6; Deuteronomy 24:1-2; 1st Corinthians 7).
We believe that three celebrations have been established; Passover, Pentecost (the weeks) and Tabernacles, has prevailed until the Christian era therefore God's people shall observe them As the world has its pagan celebrations, the IGLESIA DE DIOS has by (everlasting perpetual covenant) THREE FEAST recommended by the Bible (Deuteronomy 16:16). This is the unique characteristic of God's people. (Esther 3:8; Leviticus 23:2; Romans 6:16; Ephesians 2:11-12; St. John 7:2, 8, 10; Acts 2:18-21, 20:16; 1st Corinthians 16:7-8).
